Refrigerating cabinet for milk samples



Nov. 20, 1951 s, CONKUN 2,575,796

REFRIGERATING CABINET FOR MILK SAMPLES Filed Aug. 20, 1948 Zzgl.

M Gttornegs Patented Nov. 20, 1.951

REFRI'GAHNG CABINET FOR MILK s AMPLEs stanley conknn, cobleskiu, N. Y. Appletioii Aiigiist 2o, 1948, serial No. 45,3'07

(ci. sam-141) 11 Claims.

This invention relates to a refrigerating cabinet fr milk samples, and has for an cbject'to prei/ide an improved cabinet for properly eenditienihg farmers composite milk samples for tting throughout the entire sampling period of ften days.

Since the farmer gets paid for his milkon a basis o`f the butterfatcontent it is also an ob# ject to provide a device which will keep these saniplesv in the best possible condition in order t insure him of the benet of all the fat content in his samples.

It is another object of this invention to provide a construction of cabinet which v will refrigerate the milk in the bottles, but Awill leave the cork and neck of the bottle at substantially ro'ni temperature, so there will be ro fcondensa.- tion of moisture on the cork and neck which will be aptto flow back into the bottle on `removal of the cork to add water to the milk samples, and thus adversely aifect the test analysis of the samples.

With the foreging andther objectsin view, I have devised the construction illustrated in the accompanying drawing forming a p'a'rt of this specication. It is, however, to be understood the invention is n ot limited to the specific details of construction andarrangement shown, but mayembody various changes and modicatins within the scope of theA invention.

In this drawing:

Fig. 1 is a vertical section through the cabi# net;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the upper pertion thereof with parts broken away to more clearly show the construction, and

Fig. 3 is a top plan View of a portion of the lower member or body of the cabinet with certain parts broken away to more clearly show the construction.

Where the milkfat content of milk is used asa basis for payment or settlement for such milk, a` composite sample of the milk is .prepared. Such a composite sample4 is a combina-u tion in one container of representative and apprcirinately proportional amounts from each successive delivery by a producer, to be taken from' such milk immediately following" each de-` livery, and usually samples are taken for about fifteen days, the total amount of milk combined during this period beingv not less than 140 ml., and during this period itis necessary to preserve the composite samples in the best condition for suitable testing and analysis.

It is also important* to prevent contamination 'or dilution of the samples by entrance of moisture to them through condensation on the 4stopfpers or necks of the bottles or by splashing ef iater into them from cleaning operations around th e milk house.

This improved cabinet is designed for this purpose, and comprises a lower body or cabinet section 5 and an upper orcover section 6. The lower or body section comprises spaced outer and inner walis 'l and 8 with the space between them filled withsuitable heat or cold insulating ma terial 9, the inner member 8 forming a compartment or chamber l0 for the bottles Il to hold the composite samples of milk. About the upper rim of this compartment is an upwardly ex tending flange or strip i2 to prevent water being splashed into the inside of the cabinet, and the top open side is closed by cover or closure 6. T his cover is also provided with spaced inner and outerwalls indicated at I3 and I4, and. their lower peripheries are joined by a downwardly and outwardly inclined wall I5. The space 6a between these walls is not filled with insulating material, but this space is ventilated as well as chamber 4 through which air may circulate. For this purpose the outer wall is provided withsuitable Ventilating slots I6 preferably located at the lwerportinV ef this wall,` and the inner wall is provided with similar ventilating slots il preferably located at the upperpart of the upright portions of this wall, s o as to be on a dif ferent level and out of alignment with the Aopen-l ings E, to prevent water whichmight splash in through the slots I6 from passing into the interior of the cabinet. The outer Wallsar also providedwith drain-fout openings i8 at the lower edge thereof just above the wall l5 to drain out any moisture that might collect withinthe cover or be splashed in to it' during the cleaning operatin. These drain-out openings could be the ventilating openings if preferred, or different opehin g s for this purpose can be employed, it also` being preferred to provide theseopehings en all foursidesoi the cover. The coveris substantially the same Siae as the body portion 5 rests` on the top rimthereof, butthe inner wall is tel e `seoped Within the upright rim or wall l2 toretain the ccverin position and also frm joint which will prevent water splashing inte the `cab inet Within the body o r lower portion of the cabi-V net isiprovided means for supporting the bottles for the samples'. In the lower portion but spaced above' the bottom wel; lais a pome-sup-- prting' and heat transfer assembly 20. Asv this assembly is spaced above the bottom wall I9 it forms a refrigerating compartment 2l in which are refrigerating coils 22 for circulation of refrigerant from any suitable refrigerating apparatus (not shown), and a reserve heat or bottle chamber HJ above it. The temperature of the milk is also controlled by any suitable type of thermostat (also not shown, as it of itself forms no part of the present invention). Leading through the bottom wall are drainpipes 23 for carrying oii any condensation from the refrigerating compartment, particularly during defrosting operations. l

The assembly 2U comprises a lower plate 24, preferably of steel, through which are a suitable number of openings 25, and this plate supports a heat insulating gasket 26 of suitable fibrous material or rubber, which is also provided with a series of openings 2l in alignment with the openings 25 of the lower plate. On top of the gasket 26 is a light metal plate 28 to protect the gasket 26, provided with openings 29 in alignment with the openings 25 and 2l, but these openings are surrounded with a flared rim or lugs 3B which act as guides to direct the lower end of the bottle into the opening Iand retain it in the opening. The opening 29 isslightly larger than the diameter of the bottle so that it will readily t in the opening, and this opening is also somewhat larger than the opening 2l in the gasket, while this lat ter opening 2 is also somewhat smaller than the diameter of the lower end of the bottle so that thev outside rim portion of the bottle will rest on the gasket around the edge of the opening 2l. The opening 25 in the lower plate is somewhat smaller than the opening 21 so that this plate will provide a suitable support for the gasket and the bottle resting on it. With this construction heat is denied entrance to the refrigerating chamber 2| except through the bottom of the bottle itself, as this bottom is exposed to the chamber through the openings25 and 2l, thus absorbing the heat out of the milk in the bottles. Heat cannot pass around the bottles to this chamber because Vof the seal formed by the outer rim of the bottle resting on the gasket 26, and this gasket itself provides a heat insulating barrier between the .upper chamber IU and the refrigerating chamber 2l. The assembly 20 may be supported by any suitable means, such, vfor example, as a cleat or strip 3l around the `interior of the inner wall, and if desired, Vespecially in larger constructions, supporting legs 32- extending between the plate 24 and the bottom wall I9 between the refriger-ating coils so as to rest on this bottom wall may be provided. The plates, the legs andthe gaskets may be secured together by'any suitable means, such, for example, as the screws 33.

At the top of the chamber I surrounding the bottles and just below. the necks l la of the bottles is a heat insulating assembly 34. This comprises upper and lower light metal plates 35 and 36 each provided with openings 31 and 38 respectively, slightly larger than the bottles and spaced to correspond with the spacing of the openings in the lower assembly 20. Between the plates 35 and 3611s a flexible heat insulating gasket 39 of any suitable insulating material, such, for example, as liber or rubber, and this gasket is provided with openings 40 in alignment with the openings `3'! and 38, but of somewhat smaller diameter so as to closely t the bottles to form Ia seal around the bottles and prevent passage of heat to the chamber l0. To increase the insulating effect and allow more flexibility tothe gasket, the plates and gasket are separated by spacers 4l around the connecting screws 42, and where the size of the cabinet warrants, supporting legs 43 may be provided between this assembly and the lower assembly 20, as well as supporting means M around the inner side of the side wall of the cabinet on which the outer peripheral edge of the assembly is supported. With this construction admission of heat l to the chamber l il around the bottles is prevented except through the neck of the bottle itself, and this chamber forms an insulated space surrounding the bodies of the bottles so that the milk is kept cool. As the level of the milk is below the assembly 34, the ultimate milk level or iinal milk line after fifteen days sampling period being substantially that shown by the line 45 in Fig. l,

and as the temperature of the milk is thermostatically controlled, and the room temperature is always considerably higher, as a result there is much greater heat available above the bottles than can be absorbed by the necks or portions of the milk Vbottles above the upper assemblyd. The bottle above this assembly never becomes cold even when the cover is in position on the cabinet. Thus there is no condensation of moisture either on the cork or stopper '35 or on the` bottle neck. In other words, the stopper and the bottle neck above the assembly 34 is always approximately at room temperature, and this is true even though these cabinets have to be opened andexposed to room temperature during the daily sampling opferation, usually three or four hours, and therefore there is no condensation of moisture on the stopper or bottle necks which can flow into the bottle and add water to the samples when the stopper is removed. Under actual sample tests this device has refrigerated the milk in the bottlesv to 33 F. with the cabinet open andthe corks and necks at room temperature. Even with the cabinet closed and the cover in place, with this structure and the ventilation through the cover and about the bottle necks, the temperature under the cover followed the room temperature within four degrees. At no time during several weeks of actual tests and withroom temperatures as highas F.V was there any condition causing the least bit of condensation on the stopper or bottle neck. This construction also, when the cover is in place, prevents waterused in hosing out or cleaning the milk house from splashing into the container and collecting on either the stoppers or the bottle necks. Y

Having thus set forth tion, I claim;

1. A refrigerating cabinet for milk samples comprising a body including heat insulated walls forming a chamber for bottles containing said samples andopen at the top, upper and lower vertically spaced partitions across said chamber forming a heat insulated chamber between them with thelower partition spaced above the bottom of the chamber forming a refrigerating space therewith,V said lower partition comprising a heat insulating gasket, a lower plate supporting Ythe gasket and an upper protective plate on the gasketjsaid plates and gasket being provided with the nature of my inven- 'alig'ned openingsth-erethrough, the openings in amarres :tles into these openingsand retain themin position over the openings in the gasket', and the upper `partition including a heat insulating gasket: provided with openings arranged to closely embace the bottles just `below their necks so that thesenecks with theirstoppers are located above this partition. i

2. A refrigerating cabinet for milk samples comprising a body including heat insulated walls forming a chamber for bottles containing said samplesv and open at the top, upper and lower vertically spaced partitions across said chamber forming a heat insulated chamber `between them with the lowerfpartition spaced above the bottom of` the chamber forming a refrigerating space therewith, said lowerpartitionforming a support for the bottles seatedthereon and provided with openings under and in alignment with' the bottles tofexpose their lower end walls directly to the refrigerating space for cooling the contents of the bottles',V said upper partition comprising spaced upper and lower plates with an interme-1 diate flexible heat insulating gasket spaced from both the upper and lower plates, and said plates and gasketbeing provided with alignedl openings to receive the bottles, the openings in the gasket being of a size to closely embrace the bottles immediately below their necks to form a seal between the spaces above and below the partition with the bottle necks located above this partition.

3; A refrigerating cabinet for milk samples comprising a bodyincluding heat insulating walls forming acompartment open at the top, an upwardly extending peripheral ilange around said open top, vertically spaced horizontal insulate ing walls in said compartment with the lower wall spaced above the bottom of the compart ment to form a refrigerating chamber, said wall forming a support for bottles containing said samples and provided with openings `to expose the lower end walls of the bottles to the refrigerating chamber to cool the contents of the bot tles, the upper wall being provided with openings to closely embrace the bottles just below their necks so that the necks and their Stoppers are exposed above said wall, a cover for the compartment resting on top of the body comprising spaced inner and outer walls forming an air space, said inner walls being provided with Ventilating` openings and the outer walls also being provided with Ventilating and drain-out openings out of alignment with the openings in the inner wall to prevent water splashing through them into the compartment, and said inner walls of the cover including upright side walls telescoped with said flange on the outer side thereof.

4. A refrigerating cabinet for milk samples comprising a body including heat insulating walls forming a compartment open at the top, an upwardly extending peripheral iiange around said open top, a horizontal heat insulating wall adjacent the top of the compartment provided with openings to closely embrace bottles containing the samples just below their necks so the necks with their Stoppers are exposed above said walls, means for refrigerating the lower portions of the bottles, a cover for the compartment resting on the'body comprising spaced inner and outer walls forming a Ventilating air space, said inner wall including upright side walls telescoped with and embracing the upper portion of said flange, said inner side walls being provided with Ventilating openings in their upper portions, and the outer walls being provided with Ventilating and drainout openings in their lower portions.

-5. A refrigerating cabinet 'for milk samples, comprising a body including heat insulatedwalls forming a compartment open at the top, a heat transferring assembly in the compartment comprising a horizontal partition spaced above the bottom wall thereof forming therewith a refrige-l rating chamber, said assembly forming a support for sample containing bottles and provided with openings over whichthe bottles may be supported to expose their lower ends directly to the refrigerating chamber, heat i insulating means kar-i ranged adjacent said openings to surround the iower ends oi' the bottles so supported to prevent transfer of heat to said` chamber except through the bottoms of the bottles, and a heat insulating.

means spaced above said assembly and arranged to closely surround `the bottles just below their necks when the bottles are mounted on the sup'- port to form with vthe assembly a heat insulated chamber. surrounding the bodies of' the bottles andto expose the bottle necks and stopperslto room temperature.

6. A refrigerati-ng cabinet for milk samples', comprising a body including heat insulated Walls forming a compartment open at the top, upper and lower vertically spaced horizontal insulating partition walls in said compartment forming a heat insulated chamber' betweenI them and with the lower wall spaced above the bottom of the compartment to form a refrigerating'chamfber therewith, said lower wall being provided with openings somewhat smaller than the bottom walls or the bottles in the heat insulated chamber .containing the samples and forming supporting means for the bottles so that their lewe`l end walls are exposed directly to the refrigerating chamber through these openings, and said upper wall being provided with openings arranged to embrace the bottles below their necks when the bottles are mounted on the supporting means to expose the necks and Stoppers to room temperatures.

7. A refrigerating cabinet for milk samples, comprising heat insulated walls forming a chamber for the bottles containing said samples, a horizontal heat insulating partition wall spaced above the bottom of said chamber forming a refrigerating chamber therewith, said wall forming a support for bottles seated on said wall and provided with an opening over which each bottle may be supported and substantially the size of the bottle to expose its bottom wall directly to the refrigerating chamber through said opening, and a second horizontal heat insulating wall spaced above the first horizontal wall forming a heat insulated chamber therewith and provided with openings to closely'embrace the bottles supported on the first wall in the insulated chamber just below their necks to expose the necks and Stoppers to room temperatures and prevent transfer of heat to the space between the horizontal walls except through said necks.

8. A refrigerating cabinet for milk samples, comprising heat insulated walls forming a chamber for the bottles containing said samples. means forming a refrigerating chamber below the bottle chamber including a heat insulating partition between the chambers provided with openings to expose the bottoms of the bottles in said chamber directly to the refrigerating cham ber to cool the contents of the bottles, and a top wall for the bottle chamber provided with heat insulating means forming a heat insulated chamber with said partition surrounding the bodies of the bottles and arranged to closely surround V7 the bottles at the upper part of the bottle chamberand just below the necks of the bottles to locate the bottle necks outside said chamber where they are exposed above said latter means and heat is conducted to the chamber through the bottle necks only.

9.l A ,refrigerating cabinet for milk samples, comprising heat insulated walls forming a chamber for the bottles containing said samples, means for supporting thebottles in said chamber in an upright position, vertically spaced horizontal insulating partitions forming upper andlower walls in said chamber forming a heat in tles containing said samples and provided withv supports for supporting said bottles in an upright position in said chamber, spaced heat insulated walls in the chamber forming a heat insulatingv space surrounding the bodies of said bottles while theirgnecks and Stoppers are exposed to room temperatures and a cooling chamber below the bottles, and said supports arranged to expose the lower ends only of the bottles to the cooling means for coming the contents of the bottles' through their lower end walls only. l

1l. A refrigerating cabinet for milk samples comprising heat insulating walls forming a heat insulated chamber for the bottles containing said samples including a heat insulating top wall for said chamber, a lower heat insulating wall spaced below the top wall provided with means for supporting the bottles in said chamber in an upright position, said lower .wall also forming the top wall AofV a refrigerating chamber and provided with openings to expose the lower ends of the bottles in said heat insulated chamber directly to the refrigerating chamber for cooling the contents of the bottles in the chamber through their lower end walls, and said top wall being provided with openings arranged to closely embrace the bottles adjacent the juncture of the necks with the bodies of the bottles so that the necks and Stoppers are exposed to the atmosphere above said wall.

STANLEY CONKLIN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent: y

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 3745909 Hopper Dec. y13, 1887 502,114 Fay July-,25l 1893 657,383 Becker Sept.4, 1900 1,300,608 Harris Apr.. l5, 191.9 

